1aPril 30, 2020

Projects Day preparationsProjects Day preparations

USMA PAO continues to USMA PAO continues to prov ide comprehens ive prov ide comprehens ive resources across the West resources across the West Point community through Point community through the West Point Coronavirus the West Point Coronavirus webpage at www.westpoint.webpage at www.westpoint.edu/coronavirus, and it has edu/coronavirus, and it has released external messages on released external messages on USMA social media platforms. USMA social media platforms.

For more information, contact For more information, contact the West Point Public Affairs the West Point Public Affairs Office at paoinformation@Office at paoinformation@westpoint.edu. westpoint.edu.

See page 3 for Keller Corner See page 3 for Keller Corner updates.updates.

See pages 4-12 for Coronavirus-See pages 4-12 for Coronavirus-related stories, graphics, related stories, graphics, updates and activities.updates and activities.

See pages 13-16 for Army See pages 13-16 for Army West Point sports articles and West Point sports articles and features.features.

S EE INS IDE F O R M O R E C O V I D - 1 9 INFORMATION

&INSIDE ONLINE

w w w . P o i n t e r V i e w . C o M

w w w . w e S t P o i n t . e d U / n e w S

Pointer ViewPointer View

Pointer View ®SerVinG tHe U.S. MilitarY aCadeMY and tHe CoMMUnitY of weSt Point

Vol. 77, no. 16dUtY, Honor, CoUntrY

aPril 30, 2020

®®

www.weStPoint.edU tHetHe

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Robotics Research Center faculty member Pratheek Manjunath (above) assists Class of 2020 Cadet Samuel Pool (right) with his independent study project titled, “Light-weight algorithm for high speed obstacle avoidance.” Pool remotely teleoperates an unmanned ground system robot from his home in Colfax, North Carolina, in preparation for testing his algorithm’s autonomous performance against an obstacle course set up by his faculty advisor in Thayer Hall. Projects Day for cadets takes place today. Photos by Col. James J. Raftery, Jr.

2 aPril 30, 2020

The Army civilian enterprise newspaper, the Pointer View, is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Contents of the Pointer View are not necessarily the offi cial views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of the Army or the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

The editorial content of the Pointer View is the responsibility of the U.S. Military Academy Public Affairs Offi ce, Bldg. 600, West Point, New York 10996, (845) 938-2015.

The Pointer View is printed weekly by the Times Herald-Record, a pri vate fi rm in no way connect ed with the De partment of the Army, under ex clu sive con tract with West Point. The Times Herald-Record is responsible for all commercial advertising.

To subscribe to the Pointer View orif you have delivery problems, call 845-346-3213.

40 Mulberry Street, Middletown, NY 10940Pointer ViewPointer View Lt. Gen. Darryl WilliamsSuperintendentLt. Col. Christopher OphardtPublic Affairs OfficerEric S. BarteltPV Managing Editor, 938-2015eric.bartelt@westpoint.edu

®

Brandon O’ConnorPV Assistant Editor, 938-3079brandon.oconnor@westpoint.eduVacantPV Photojournalist, 938-3684

Pointer View

The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement of the products or services advertised by the U.S. Army or the Times Herald-Record.

Everything advertised in this pub li ca tion will be made available for purchase, use or pa tron age with out regard to race, color, re li gion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, phys i cal handi cap, po liti cal af fi l i a tion or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user or pa tron.

If a violation or re jec tion of this equal opportunity policy by an ad ver tis er is confi rmed, the publisher will refuse to print ad ver tis ing from that source until the violation has been corrected.

newS & featUreSnewS & featUreS

Cadets run 48 miles to raise awareness for sexual assault, harassment

A collage of cadets who posted their runs as part of the 4x4x48 Challenge to help raise awareness for sexual assault and harassment. Courtesy Photos

By Brandon O’ConnorPV Assistant Editor

It started almost as a joke between friends. Brig. Gen. Curtis Buzzard, the commandant

of cadets at the U.S. Military Academy, and cadet leadership had challenged each member of the Corps of Cadets to run one mile to raise awareness for sexual assault and harassment.

The challenge was initiated because April is recognized as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM).

Class of 2021 Cadet Jordan Lawson and a couple of his friends in Company B-1 saw the challenge and decided one mile wasn’t nearly hard enough and set their sights higher. They eventually decided to take on retired U.S. Navy Seal and ultramarathon runner David Goggins’ 4x4x48 challenge. Four miles, every four hours, for 48 hours.

They sent word to their platoon and then all of B-1 as more and more cadets signed on for the challenge. At midnight eastern time on April 21, more than 50 cadets walked out of their houses throughout the country into the pitch-dark night and began to run. At 4 a.m., they went out again and then every four hours for the next two days they laced on their sneakers, walked outside and ran.

For some, it started as a solely physical challenge, but with each run, the cause became more and more central, multiple participants said. Alumni reached out and off ered to support the cause and help raise awareness. Survivors reached out and thanked them for running. When people questioned what they were doing, the participants were able to strike up a conversation about the importance of the cause and why they were running.

“As we get further into this, I’m not doing this for myself,” Lawson said after completing 40 of the 48 miles. “Clearly it’s painful. I’m doing this to raise awareness for those this issue has aff ected. I’m one of those people who hasn’t really been aff ected, or seen people aff ected by sexual assault and harassment, but hearing from those who have reached out during this has really made it real for me.”

Class of 2022 Cadet Kimberly Kane isn’t a member of B-1, but she signed on for the challenge after hearing about it from Lawson. Not a runner by nature, she said she decided to take part to push herself to the limits and see how far she could go.

Then mile after mile her mindset began to change. She hadn’t expected to fi nish the challenge, but with each run she found the motivation to push herself by no longer running

for herself, but instead for those who were victims of sexual assault and harassment.

“I think that change comes from realizing that at a certain point, it wasn’t about me and my own goals anymore,” Kane said. “When you run and you run and you run, you no longer fi nd the motivation to keep going for yourself. You have to kind of switch your mentality from being a me mentality, because at that point you’re hungry, tired and thirsty. You don’t want to do this anymore. You have to switch your mentality from being purely inwardly focused to instead thinking about the people outside of you.”

Before they started to run, the cadets decided to use social media as an accountability device. After each run, they had to post to Instagram to prove they had finished the four miles. They also created a group chat to encourage each other and help keep each other motivated. Runners who were feeling tired or down during a run could call or facetime another participant mid-run for motivation. Others would call or text after each run to check in.

They also used social media to raise awareness for sexual assault and harassment and create a conversation around what they were doing.

The challenge started with about 50 cadets and 43 of them fi nished all 48 miles, but by the time they ran the last mile the movement had already spread. Class of 2020 Cadet Eden Elizabeth Phillips said members of the Long Gray Line reached out to let her know they were starting their own challenges with their units.

They saw new cadets in the incoming Class

of 2024 start running in solidarity and more companies throughout the corps made plans to do their own 4x4x48 challenges.

By the weekend, the challenge of running 4,500 miles for sexual assault and harassment awareness, with each cadet running a mile, had been pushed to 50,000 miles because the corps had already completed more than 20,000.

“I think the whole point of an awareness month, or a challenge like this, is really just to remind people that every single person is going through their own challenge,” Phillips said. “This is one that is avoidable and one that we’re dealing with as a rabid problem even in our corps. So, hopefully it just reminded folks to think outside of themselves, even at this time where we’re all pretty isolated and it’s really easy to just sort of dwell on ourselves right now.”

West Point has held multiple stand down days over the last year and a half in order to address the issues of sexual assault and harassment. While two days of running may not cause a massive change, Lawson said the value of the challenge was to create a conversation around the issue and change people’s mindsets.

“There have been times when I’ve had to stop running and just walk it out and understanding that my pain in that moment is incomparable to what the people we’re running this for have faced, it’s really given me a good perspective,” Lawson said.

Kane said she found that mindset around mile 30. It was 4 a.m. on the second day and she had been asked to record a video on why she was running. She said she spent the fi rst half of the run trying to fi gure out what to say and as she ran lap after lap around the track

by her house the reason she was out there became clear.

“Just because we are running, it’s not doing anything directly to help sexual assault and sexual harassment and it’s still going on of course,” Kane said. “But if we can show the survivors that we love them enough to show them support, then I would run another 48 miles just to show somebody that we cared for them and that we love them that much.”

Phillips hit her wall at mile 36. She had been running an 8:30 mile pace for each set up until that point and then her time cratered to 10 minutes a mile. To break through, she focused on the cause and refused to walk because her pain was only momentary, she said, while survivors of assaults must carry the scars and pain with them. Her next run was her fastest of the entire challenge.

Lawson’s came at a similar time when a shooting pain in his foot forced him to walk instead of run. Instead of letting the pain stop him, he used the time to refl ect on the cause and why 50 of his peers throughout the country were traversing through mile after mile.

Looking back at the challenge, the participants called it “brutal,” “terrible” and “painful” but despite the sleeplessness and sore bodies they also said it was “incredible” to see it spread from a crazy idea between a few friends to becoming a mini movement within the corps and the Long Gray Line.

“It’s been really cool to see everyone come together for this cause,” Lawson said. “Defi nitely not planned, but totally incredible to see the impact of this on survivors of sexual assault and harassment and the awareness that has been raised.”

3April 30, 2020Pointer View

Keller Corner: Update on Coronavirus POINTIN FOCUS: CORONAVIRUS 2019 UPDATE

KKeller CCorner

For a one-stop shop of all updated coronavirus information, Keller Army Community Hospital notifications, how to stop the spread of COVID-19, federal/state/local guidance and the U.S. Military Academy and Army Garrison West Point webpages, visit https://kach.amedd.army.mil/West-Point-COVID-19-INFO/.

Story and photo by Robert LanierKACH Public Affairs Officer

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Keller Army Community Hospital Pharmacy was challenged to find new ways to provide medication and modify operations to provide prescriptions while facili tating social distancing. The solution has been to make “in-car dispensing” the preferred way for patients to receive their medications.

The Keller Pharmacy has provided in-car dispensing since March 27, and on April 21, the 1,000th beneficiary was served.

“We needed to come up with a plan to continue to provide services to our beneficiaries while maintaining ‘social distancing’ and protecting the health of our staff and beneficiaries,” said Maj Thomas Lehmann, chief of Pharmacy, Keller Army Community Hospital. “This was the best solution for both new prescriptions and refills.”

The in-car, drive-up delivery is done in two easy steps:

• Call the pharmacy prior to arriving. The pharmacy will prepare your medications to be ready when you arrive. Call 845-938-2271 / 6619 / 3812. The pharmacy staff will coordinate a time for you to come pick up your

KACH Pharmacy provides in-car dispensing to its 1,000th patient

medication within about two hours.• When you arrive at the pharmacy, pull

in to one of the numbered pharmacy parking spaces—in the upper parking area, and call the pharmacy again to have a hospital representative bring your medications out to you.

Beneficiaries, or the representative, picking up medications must provide either a photocopy of their DOD ID card, or a high-quality photo (smart phone is acceptable) of the front and back of the beneficiary’s ID card.

Beneficiaries who are subject to restriction of movement (self-quarantine or self-isolation) can either coordinate through their chain-of-command for a representative to pick up their medication, or a beneficiary’s sponsor or representative can pick up their medication.

In addition to these services, beneficiaries —who reside on West Point—can receive over-the-counter “cold packs” if they are exhibiting cold symptoms.

“The Keller drive-up pharmacy service is a win-win for our patients and staff,” said Col. Brett H. Venable, commander, Keller Army Community Hospital. “This approach to pharmacy dispensing is clearly a best practice and we will continue to offer this service for the foreseeable future.”

Spc. Jeffrey Sanders, a dental specialist assigned to Dental Activity West Point, augments Keller Army Community Hospital by working as a pharmaceutical runner for the pharmacy. Since the drive-up pharmacy started on March 27, Soldiers from DENTAC have been rotating out based on hospital mission needs.

There is a designated parking area, in Keller's upper parking lot, for pharmacy drive-up service. Courtesy Graphic

4 April 30, 2020 Pointer View POINTIN FOCUS: CADETS SAVING LIVES

Cadets respond, jump to forefront to help save livesBy Eric S. BarteltPV Managing Editor

Fate is the occurrence of events beyond a person’s control, and when the circumstance of fate comes calling it is a matter of recognizing you may be the right person in the right place at the right time. In the month of March, three U.S. Military Academy cadets were placed in three separate situations where a matter of life and death required them to act and jump to the forefront.

Between March 8 and 26, while Class of 2020 Cadets Keegan Buros and Matthew DiBiase and Class of 2023 Cadet Jazmyne Drake were on spring break or the COVID-19 stay-at-home requirement from West Point, they used the training they received at the academy to perform various forms of life-saving measures and assessments to help change the outcome of individuals’ fates, which otherwise may have been dire.

Those turns of fate brought Buros to the side of a man who had been hit by a car March 11. He and his mother were driving to his home from the Milwaukee (Mitchell International) Airport, he said, when they came upon the scene of the accident. He triaged the man’s injuries including controlling his bleeding, managed the scene and helped keep the wounded man conscious during the chaotic experience until paramedics and police arrived.

On the other hand, DiBiase was simply hanging out at his home March 26 in Sanibel, Florida, when he was forced to spring into action.

It was about 8 p.m. after a seasonably hot day, he said, and he was relaxing in the living room when his brother sprinted in worriedly and said something was seriously wrong with his friend.

His brother, Ken, had been on the family boat with a female friend. As Ken was driving the boat back a short distance in San Carlos Bay, he noticed something was wrong with her and rushed to the house for help.

DiBiase and his brother, mother and father all rushed out to the dock to check and care for her.

“My mom and older brother, Ken, were lifting his friend, a woman in her 20s, off the boat and onto the dock,” DiBiase said. “At first, she was able to softly respond to some questions—‘Have you had any substances? No. Have you had anything to drink? Very little. Are you sure? Yes.’—Then, after laying her down on the dock, she became unresponsive and no longer answered questions.

“My father immediately called 911. She was limp and clammy. I checked for a pulse —none, and breathing—none,” he added. “My brother and I performed CPR on the dock, switching when the other got tired. After several bouts of compressions and breaths, finally, her body began to move and she began to gag.”

DiBiase said they rolled her onto her side, allowing her to vomit and clear her airway. She then opened her eyes and began to whisper to answer some of their questions. However, suddenly within seconds, he said, her head

rolled back, and her eyes stared off as she became unresponsive again.

“After checking her pulse and breathing, I began compressions again,” DiBiase said. “Her jaw was clenched very tight, making breaths difficult. My mom, who is a nurse, carefully with her fingers, swept (the female friend’s) mouth and slowly was able to clear her airway. My brother and I kept up the compressions and breaths, and she eventually opened her eyes with shallow breathing.

“Hearing the commotion, a bystander, who was also a combat medic from across the canal, steered his boat over to our dock,” he added. “He asked her questions, helping keep her responsive and breathing on her own. The EMTs eventually arrived and took her to the hospital.”

In all, DiBiase said he and his brother, who is a recent graduate of SUNY Maritime College, performed CPR for about 10-to-12 minutes before help arrived. He said having his brother there helped because CPR is exhausting to perform and added, “We switched every few minutes to ensure she received adequate compressions and breaths.”

The future Signal Corps officer, who will be stationed in Baumholder, Germany once he graduates in June, said he was afraid for her life, but also took into account all that he learned at West Point to help control a grave situation.

“I would be untruthful to say I didn’t recognize the gravity of the situation,” he said. “However, I controlled the situation as best as I could and relied upon my training and my brother to provide first aid until EMS arrived.

“The ‘head tilt, chin lift,’ to open the victim’s airway, ‘looking, listening and feeling,’ to assess if the victim is breathing on her own and the ratio of ‘30 compressions to 2 breaths,’” he added, “were all pieces of knowledge drilled into my memory at West Point.”

The young woman was discharged from the hospital and is now home and doing well after what was suspected to be heat stroke combined with cardiac arrest due to underlying health conditions.

Drake was thrust into life-saving mode about 30 minutes after her arrival in Tallahassee, Florida for spring break March 8. She and her friend, Dai’janae, were traveling from the airport at about 6 p.m. on a two-lane road between Florida A&M University and Florida State University. They reached their destination and were walking along the side of the road, Drake said, when a head-on car crash happened 20 feet behind them. Immediately, her friend called 911 while Drake ran to one of the vehicles involved in the accident.

Drake said the truck she ran to was smoking after it jumped the curb and hit the wall of a building. Trying to open the door was difficult, but once she did, she saw an elderly man thrown across the two seats due to him not wearing a seat belt.

“Trying to get him out of the truck took about four minutes,” she said. “He was unconscious at the beginning, and I had to try to get him awake. Moving him a bit away (from the truck) and asking questions took around the same time. He was alert enough to ask me for

his phone, which I retrieved.”Drake said she did feel the urgency of

getting him out of the truck because of the smoke, the smell of chemicals and everything was heated as the truck was destroyed.

“I did not feel that (the truck) would explode, but I knew staying in the truck would only have detrimental effects due to the nature of the chemical (smell),” she said. “The truck was completely warped from hitting the car and the building. Although I did not get a good

look at the car, it was totaled from a quick glance. When I went in the truck, one of the most disturbing things was how mangled the interior was, and how the old man was strewn on top of that chaos.”

After she made sure the elderly man was fine beyond some chest pains, she went to help with a younger man who had been in the smaller vehicle.

At that point, three men had helped carry See CADETS SAVE LIVES, PAGE 5

Class of 2023 Cadet Jazmyne Drake, who is part of the U.S. Corps of Cadets Pipes and Drums, helped two victims of a head-on collison in Tallahassee, Fla., March 8. Photo Courtesy of Class of 2023 Cadet Jazmyne Drake

5April 30, 2020Pointer View

CADETS SAVE LIVES, cont’d from Page 4the man out of his car into the road where she noticed he had huge swelling on his forehead and bleeding from several areas on his body. The three men could not control him as he was yelling and trying to move everywhere, so she ran up to them and took over by getting the man to calm down and lay on the ground.

“The young man had swelling on his forehead that came out about three inches and he was bleeding,” Drake said. “There was blood from other cuts around his arms, legs and his jeans were ripped. I spent the majority of my time with him. After taking control and getting him on the ground, I started with letting him assume a position most comfortable for him.

“He ended up in my lap, where I tried to keep his head from swiveling all around,” she added. “I patted him down, especially in the legs where he had the most bleeding. Since he had walked a bit, I then left his legs alone and tried to see if he had any chest injuries by gently patting his chest. It took about eight minutes because I had to be gentle with him while doing it.”

She talked to him, helped with the injuries and kept him calm until the paramedics arrived. In reflection, she gives credit to her first year at the academy for helping give her clarity of mind in the stressful, chaotic situation.

“I think if I did not have the training gained after one year of being at West Point, I would not have reacted as quickly,” Drake said. “I most definitely would not have had the confidence to try to get the elderly man out of a smoking truck and I would have looked for someone else to take over.”

Drake also believes West Point gave her the confidence to jump into the middle of the fray and know she could be the go-to person to get things done.

“I believe the biggest lesson from West Point that allowed me to act quickly and

decisively is the lesson of leading from the front,” she added. “Someone needed to help and lead, and that lesson urged me to not waste time and to jump into it. The Combat Lifesaver training also helped me in remaining calm, as it gave me a checklist to try to help the men. Finally, I had the knowledge of trusting in a team, which gave me confidence that Dai’janae had done a great job and that help was on the way.”

While she did say she was terrified that the elderly man was dead at first and what could she do in that situation, she decided to attack the problem step-by-step, “Step 1 was getting him out, and I would worry about everything else later.”

Drake said that one of the men who helped get the young man out of his vehicle came up to her afterward and said how thankful he was that she was there to help. With that moment in her mind, the decision of where her life will lead, not only at West Point but after West Point, is much clearer now.

“I believe the experience told me I was correct in choosing a life of an Army officer,” Drake said. “When I was responding to the crash, I leaned on my prior training, but more than that I leaned upon the examples of my instructors and mentors at West Point in order to emulate their character and resiliency.

“The fact that I was able to do that,” she concluded, “and how it helped in treating those two men, it showed me that the life of an Army officer was a correct decision for me.”

(Editor’s note: Class of 2020 Cadet Keegan Buros is briefly mentioned in this article for his life-saving measures March 11, however, he chose not to want to have his story told in depth because he said he feels it is something many of his peers would do in the same circumstance, so while he is cited, I will keep to his request and not expand on his story.)

Class of 2020 Cadet Matthew DiBiase with the help of his brother, Ken, performed CPR to save a female friend's life March 26. Photo Courtesy of Class of 2020 Matthew DiBiase

Remnants of the accident where Class of 2023 Cadet Jazmyne Drake helped two accident victims March 8. Photo Courtesy of Class of 2023 Cadet Jazmyne Drake

6 April 30, 2020 Pointer View

Cadets learn from each other while helping community members in needBy Eric S. BarteltPV Managing Editor

Within the past five weeks, a staggering 26.5 million American workers have filed jobless claims as unemployment continues to skyrocket during the COVID-19 crisis. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics from a Fortune Magazine article, the 26.5 million people joined another 7.1 million Americans who were unemployed as of March 13, prior to the crisis, and this adds up to the worst unemployment rate, 20.6%, since 1934.

As some Americans begin to struggle to put food on the table across the country, U.S. Military Academy cadets in the Northern Virginia area are doing their part to help community members overcome their personal predicament.

Class of 2023 Cadet Jack Felgar, of Falls Church, Virginia, jumped at the chance to help his mother, Julie, as she became involved with La Colectiva. The organization helps the immigrant community in several different facets, including collecting food and donations as many immigrants lost their jobs. She used her Facebook account and the app NextDoor to put the word out and the response was tremendous, according to Julie Felgar. They have received help from three international cadets staying with them during the pandemic and a fourth cadet who lives nearby.

“She mentioned the need to us and asked us if we would like to take it on as a service project—we were game,” Jack said of him and his fellow cadets. “A ton of families started dropping food off at our door and sending money. We took over the organizing in terms of collecting the food, shopping for the food with the money donated and organizing everything.”

To date, they have received more than $1,200 in cash and about 50 grocery bags worth of food, Jack said. He said the food in most bags included pasta, oats, apples, bananas, tuna, apple sauce, peanut butter, canned beans, milk and eggs, to name a few items.

“Once La Colectiva realized how much food and money we could generate, they asked if our house could become a warehouse of sorts for collection and for this to be an ongoing project—we agreed,” he said. “We have a lot of people in our house, so we have a volunteer force built in, which limits exposure to others during this weird time.”

Jack created an excel spreadsheet to categorize and distribute the food items evenly and then in turn received help from four cadets to buy the food, split up the items and make bags for the economically disadvantaged families.

Class of 2023 Cadets Ruganzu Divin Mulisa from Rwanda, Cobna Mannah from The Gambia and Ahmad Alshishany from Jordan are all staying with the Felgar family during

the pandemic. “Divin, Cobna and Ahmad are staying with

us because they had nowhere to go,” Julie, who is originally from Zimbabwe, said. “As an immigrant myself, we took them in.”

Jack, a first generation American, became acquainted with each of the international cadets in some capacity at the U.S. Military Academy. Mannah was his roommate during Cadet Basic Training and one of his best friends in his company, H-2, he said. Mulisa lived a few floors down from them in the barracks and asked if he could stay with them during spring break, which became extended due to COVID-19. Alshishany met Jack through a friend at USMA and asked if he could stay at his house as he preferred to not be isolated on campus.

“We are fortunate to have the room in the house,” Jack said. “My mom always opens our doors to friends and family in need of lodging. Our house is always busy.”

Jack said they have all been very grateful to stay with them during these times and they were very willing to help volunteer with the service project.

“I think it’s important to note how there is this idea of civic duty going around the country right now and that is a unique experience for them,” he said. “For example, Ahmad is Muslim, so he has just started to fast for Ramadan. While we were packing bags last night, after sunset, he left to go pray and break his fast … after that, he came back to help us finish the bags. That shows a lot of character and his determination to help other people. I am

grateful to have friends like them.”Also helping is Class of 2023 Cadet Anna

Spear, who lives a few minutes from the Felgar family. Spear and Felgar go back prior to Cadet Basic Training as they would meet up to do hikes to prepare themselves for West Point. Now, she is a part of the team helping families get through the current struggles.

“She helped with the shopping and also came over to the house and we spent hours packing bags with all the different items we had,” Jack said. “We ended up with 30 large bags of food packed … and about 30 additional large boxes of random food items that were donated. We were asked by La Colectiva to focus on 30 families.”

Once the cadets put everything together, La Colectiva sent representatives to come out and pick up the bags from the Felgar’s porch and deliver them to the families, so it allowed the cadets to maintain their social distancing and safety, Julie said.

All in all, the cadets stepped up and helped the local community when it needed it the most. However, it started with the generosity of people donating within the community.

“The response was incredible,” Jack said. “I didn’t know most of the people who brought food/supplies to the house. I think it really shows how much people want to help during these times, but sometimes they just do not know a good way to do it. If you give them a way to help, most people will take advantage of that.”

See HELPING COMMUNITY, PAGE 7

Class of 2023 Cadets Cobna Mannah, (front) an international cadet from The Gambia, and Jack Felgar (in back), of Falls Church, Va, work together to categorize food items as part of collecting food and donations to help many immigrants who lost their jobs. Courtesy Photos

Class of 2023 Cadet Jack Felgar (front) works with a handful of cadets to help buy the food, split up the items and make bags for economically disadvantaged families through the donations they received.

7April 30, 2020Pointer View

HELPING COMMUNITY, cont’d from Page 6Jack’s background before West Point,

including both of his parents being immigrants as his dad is from Montreal, Canada, as well as his stepdad being from Brazil, played a huge part in knowing that he needed to help in some way.

“This effort was focused on immigrant families,” he said. “With the service industry taking such a large hit recently, people are really struggling to feed their families. When I used to work at a restaurant, many of the workers lived paycheck to paycheck.

“With their kids home from school and no free school lunches,” he added. “It can be a struggle to eat multiple meals a day.”

This unique experience of people coming together to help each other is a concept that the international cadets are more than happy to be a part of to help the bigger cause—helping their fellow man.

“It all goes back to what I was taught growing up and what I’m taught daily at the academy,” Mulisa said. “Having compassion, doing the right things always, taking care of the people around me and being a leader of character.

“I thought Americans helped each other in this way at the grass roots level through

donations and volunteering,” Mulisa added. “It happens in my country, the Rwandan culture teaches helping those in need, rising to the occasion and serving one’s community.”

Mulisa spoke about this experience being impactful beyond the synergy used to make this effort work, especially on a personal level.

“I believe this has created lifelong friendships among us even outside the military environment,” he said. “It has also given us an opportunity to learn from each other’s diverse cultures.”

Jack added this experience introduced all the international cadets to the neighborhood communities in the United States, and that we can come together during the hard times. More importantly, outside of the lessons it taught them about meeting different types of Americans, is that this communal undertaking of helping others and being able to do it together in a non-military environment is something special that they will have for a lifetime.

“I already know that we will remember these times forever,” Jack said. “We have gotten to know each other well … we all bring different perspectives to the table and the discussions we have at dinner are very interesting.”

This experience was an opportunity for Jack to learn from the life experiences and cultures of others, he said. “I hope I can visit

Jordan, Rwanda and The Gambia one day,” he concluded.

Class of 2023 Cadet Ruganzu Divin Mulisa from Rwanda helps bag groceries that were bought to help community families who lost their jobs.

8 April 30, 2020 Pointer View

Honor societies induct high performers

WEST POINT—The United States (U.S.) Army announces the first five-year review for the Michie Stadium Munitions Response Site (MRS) and the Seacoast Battery MRS remedies implemented at the U.S. Army Garrison West Point located in West Point, New York.

Section 121 (c) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the National Contingency Plan (NCP) states “a remedial action that resulted in hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants remaining at the site shall be reviewed no less frequently than every five years.”

Thus, CERCLA requires a statutory five-year review of the selected remedial actions at the Michie Stadium MRS and Seacoast Battery MRS. The Michie Stadium MRS and Seacoast Battery MRS are not on the National Priorities List (NPL).

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District (USACE) is conducting the five-year review.

The five-year review includes review of new data and information, inspection of the sites and interviews of stakeholders and interested community members.

The objective of the review is to ensure that the completed or on-going remedies are protective of human health and the environment.

Based on historical document reviews and on-site investigations, it is believed that items of munitions and explosives of concern (MEC) are present in the Michie Stadium MRS as a result of importing fill material during construction activities.

A Decision Document signed in March 2015 established a remedy of risk management which consists of various access control and/or public awareness components to manage risk exposure to human health from potential MEC remaining at the Michie Stadium MRS.

The Seacoast Battery MRS is impacted with MEC fired into the Seacoast Battery’s firing range buffer area located on Constitution Island in Putnam County, New York.

A Decision Document signed in February 2019 established a remedy of risk management which places land-use controls on the MRS to reduce direct contact with the source of the principal threat that may exist on the MRS.

USACE initiated the five-year review process in February 2020 and it will be completed by January 2021. The report for this review will be made available to the public after its scheduled completion in early 2021 at the document repositories listed below:

• Highland Falls Library

298 Main Street Highland Falls, N.Y. 10928

• Julia L. Butterfield Memorial Library 10 Morris Avenue Cold Spring, N.Y. 10516

• Alice Curtis Demond and Hamilton Fish Library 472 Route 403 Garrison, N.Y. 10524

The repositories contain detailed information concerning the selected remedies and the contamination addressed by the remedy.

If you have any questions or would like additional information about the site, contact:

West Point Environmental Management DivisionInstallation Management CommandJeff SanbornDirectorate of Public WorksBldg 667 Ruger RdUSAG West Point, N.Y. 10996Phone: 845-938-5041.

U.S. Army begins Michie Stadium, Seacoast Battery Munitions Response Site review

The Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science hosted virtual induction ceremonies using Microsoft Teams April 22 for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Eta Kappa Nu (IEEE-HKN), the honor society for electrical engineering, and for Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE), the honor society for computer science and information technology. Col. Jim Raftery, EECS department head, welcomed cadets and faculty to this virtual ceremony, then cadets Pete Howell and Liam Furey, presidents of HKN and UPE, respectively, led the induction ceremony for their respective honor societies. Cadets inducted into the two honor societies ranked in the top 25% (for the Classes of 2021 and 2022) or the top 33% (for the Class of 2020) of students in their fields of study. The cadets inducted into IEEE-HKN were Class of 2020 Cadets Mary Clare Cassidy and Michael Renard, Class of 2021 Cadet Stone Stephens and Class of

2022 Cadets Sam Hassak, Kevin Lin, Ryan Miller, Taylor Schorlemmer and Dylan Taylor. IEEE-HKN also inducted four faculty members—Lt. Col. Jason Moulton, Maj. Nick Stave, Capt. Ben Popko and Pratheek Manjunath. The cadets inducted into UPE were Class of 2020 Cadets Andrew Arnold, Jaemin Ashley, Joshua Cox, Nicholas Franck, Joseph Kyser, Sean Moriarity, Emma Roerty and Samantha Sullivan and Class of 2021 Cadets Young Ho Cha, Chole Dewees, John Eberling, Alexander Heldstab, Colin Kim, Joo Bon Maeng, Trevor Powers, Esther Roman, Matthew Rusiniak, Jacob Scriffiny, Noah Smith and Trevaun Turner. Faculty members Lt. Col. James Browne, Maj. Justin Shafer, Maj. Dan Hawthorne and Professor Chip Schooler in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science were also inducted into UPE. Courtesy Photos

9aPril 30, 2020Pointer View CoMMUnitY/MwrCoMMUnitY/Mwr

WEST POINT MWR CALENDAR westpoint.armymwr.com

Movies canceled until further notice.(For movie details and updated schedules, visit http://www.aafes.com/exchange-stores/Movie-Guide/showtimes-West-Point.htm.)

Theatre schedule at Mahan Hall, Bldg. 752.MOVIES at MAHANMOVIES at MAHAN

No events currently scheduled.

COVID-19: MWR facility and program updates

COMMUNITY FEATURED ITEMWest Point Tax Center closed and IRS extension

The West Point Tax Center is offi cially closed. However, the IRS has extended the federal income tax fi ling and payment deadlines.

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the IRS is automatically extending the federal income tax fi ling and payment deadlines until July 15.

This extensions applies to all taxpayers, including individuals, trusts and estates, corporations and other non-corporate tax fi lers as well as those who pay self-employment tax.

Taxpayers do not need to fi le any additional forms or call the IRS to qualify for this automatic federal tax fi ling and payment relief.

Please note, the extension does not apply to state income tax fi lings or payments. Check with your state of residence for state income tax fi ling and payment deadlines.

For more details, visit https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-day-now-july-15-treasury-irs-extend-fi ling-deadline-and-federal-tax-payments-regardless-of-amount-owed.

The following services remain OPEN (until further notice):

• Dog Parks—Please limit groups and cleanup after yourself.• West Point Bowling Center—Open 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Food

delivery and pick up only.• Round Pond Recreation Area—Permitted fi shing and passive recreation only, 9 a.m.-5

p.m. daily.

The following services are closed or cancelled (until further notice):

• MWR Administrative Offi ces. • Army Community Service—Recommend using MilitaryOneSource.mil. • Arts & Crafts—Classes are cancelled. Virtual classes are available via the Arts & Crafts

Facebook. • Auto Skills Center—Closed. Important note from New York State DMV: All N.Y. State

motor vehicle inspections expiring after March 31 have been extended until further notice.• BOSS.• CYS (All programs)— All Youth Sports and Instructional programs for the Spring season

are canceled. CYS staff is currently refunding/giving household credits in accordance with IMCOM guidance.

• MWR Fitness Center.• Intramural Sports.• Leisure Travel.• Morgan Farm—Staff on-site to care for animals. All pet kenneling reservations canceled

through today. Visit https://westpoint.armymwr.com/covid19 for further updates. • Outdoor Recreation—All reservations canceled through today. The Bull Pond lottery

reservation is postponed until further notice.• Special Events: ◦ Brewfest 2020 has been canceled. ◦ Doggie Dash 3k/5k is postponed, new date TBD.• Tronsrue Marksmanship Center—Closed, all classes are cancelled.• West Point Club: ◦ Dinner-To-Go is closed. ◦ All events and personal reservations canceled through today.• West Point Golf Course.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTSLRC CIF appointments for retiring, ETSing military personnel

Due to COVID-19, all military personnel who will be retiring or ETSing and require clearing through the Logistics Readiness Center West Point Central Issue Facility (CIF) will be required to make an appointment by phone.

To make an appointment, call 845-938-4562 or 845-938-1835.

West Point Commissary face mask coveringsThe West Point Commissary continues with its mission of serving Soldiers, family members

and veterans during the many challenges brought on by the need for social distancing amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among the measures, employees are following the CDC recommendations on wearing face masks, and the Defense Commissary Agency recently mandated that all customers will be required to wear a face covering as well. Customers will not be allowed in the commissary without a face mask.

As an added precaution during the COVID-19 pandemic, the commissary will discontinue the use of reusable bags at the registers. This action is being taken with your health and safety in mind.

Logistics Readiness Center messageWe regret to inform the community that the SMURF buses are indefi nitely suspended due

to lack of drivers. The Transportation and Maintenance Division will continue to provide a bus for handicapped

patrons from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. To call for that service, call 938-4468 or 938-2018. The taxi service was suspended at the beginning of the current COVID-19 crisis in an eff ort

to mitigate the spread of the virus. We regret any inconvenience this may cause.

Legal Assistance Offi ce informationHave a legal question? For example, are you wondering how you can legally terminate

or extend a lease?• Contact the West Point Legal Assistance Offi ce. The Legal Assistance Offi ce’s physical

location is closed in response to COVID-19.• Limited services are available by calling 845-938-4541.• Leave a voicemail with your name, phone number and brief message describing your

situation. You may also email marilyn.shenton@westpoint.edu for assistance. Messages are reviewed every two hours during normal business hours. Please allow one duty day before calling again.

RiverFest canceledCornwall-on-Hudson’s RiverFest committee is disappointed to announce that RiverFest

will not happen this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Following discussion and a virtual meeting, the RiverFest committee decided that current trends and social distancing guidelines will not allow for the gathering to go forward as scheduled June 7 at Donahue Park in Cornwall-on-Hudson.

RiverFest, a celebration of the Hudson River and scenic Donahue Park held the fi rst weekend in June, has been a Hudson Valley tradition for more than 20 years.

“We are disappointed that we cannot hold the festival, but look forward to bringing it back, better than ever, in 2021,” said festival chair and co-founder, Wynn Gold.

For details, contact Wynn Gold at 914-475-2582

10 April 30, 2020 Pointer View POINTIN FOCUS: CORONAVIRUS 2019 UPDATE

11April 30, 2020Pointer View

USMA PAO continues to provide the www.westpoint.edu/coronavirus USMA PAO continues to provide the www.westpoint.edu/coronavirus page and has released coordinated external messages on USMA social page and has released coordinated external messages on USMA social media platforms.media platforms.

For more information, contact the West Point Public Affairs Office at For more information, contact the West Point Public Affairs Office at paoinformation@westpoint.edu. paoinformation@westpoint.edu.

West Point Coronavirus information updates

12 April 30, 2020 Pointer View

DOD plans for resumption of normal operations after pandemicBy Jim GaramoneArmy.mil

Defense Department planners are working on how to resume normal military operations following the coronavirus pandemic, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Rath Hoffman said.

Because defense is a full-time necessity, the military cannot shut down, Hoffman said at a Pentagon news conference April 24. Still, officials curtailed exercises, limited training, stopped military moves and took other measures in an effort to flatten the curve of coronavirus infections.

“We’ll be evaluating many different areas,” Hoffman said. “One is training—how are we protecting our trainees, and how are we keeping the pipeline full? We’re continuing to look at that, continuing to adopt and adapt so that we can pursue full training classes in the future.”

Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper is also closely following the stop-movement order. The order goes until June 30.

“But once it is lifted—and the secretary is reevaluating that every 15 days—how are we going to deal with the backlog of individuals that need to move throughout the world?” Hoffman said.

This is a complex issue, and the planners at the U.S. Transportation Command have the lead for the department.

DOD has done a good job of protecting strategic forces, but officials are still going to look at the process to see if there aren't better ways to do this in the future, Hoffman said.

Even if there is a return to normal, the virus will still be around. DOD planners are looking at the testing program, and officials are putting the final touches on the system it will employ and getting the supplies that will be needed. DOD scientists and doctors are also heavily involved in developing a vaccine and for treatment protocols for COVID-19, Hoffman said. "We're going to be doing that for months and months going forward," he

Army Spc. Ashlie Chandler, a behavioral health specialist at the Javits New York Medical Station, talks with a Soldier in the facility’s Behavioral Health Outpatient Clinic in support of the Department of Defense COVID-19 response, April 18. U.S. Northern Command, through U.S. Army North, is providing military support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help communities in need. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Genesis Mirandaadded.

Finally, the department is looking at the industrial base with an eye to replenishing the DOD stockpile in case of future crises, and to produce more equipment for the coronavirus fight, he said.

Hoffman announced that the Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort will soon leave New York City. It will return to its homeport of Norfolk,

Virginia, to restock and get ready for another mission, if needed.

“We’l l be looking to ( the Federal Emergency Management Agency) to identify where that next location is; they are the federal government's lead on this, and so they’re the ones who will be tasking us,” he said.

Hoffman cited “modest progress” in mitigating the virus in the nation’s hardest-hit

city, calling that “a welcome sign.” The rate of infections in New York is declining, he noted, adding that there are still many places where this is not the case, and that the department stands ready to assist.

“As of today, we have more than 60,000 personnel deployed nationwide, including 4,400 medical professionals on the front lines,” Hoffman said.

Jonathan Rath Hoffman, assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs, holds a news conference on COVID-19 efforts at the Pentagon, April 24. DOD photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jack Sanders

13April 30, 2020Pointer View SPortSSPortS

By Army Athletic Communications

WEST POINT, N.Y.—Army West Point football players Cole Christiansen, Elijah Riley and Connor Slomka each received offers as undrafted free agents from National Football League teams on Saturday night.

Christiansen received an offer from the Los Angeles Chargers, Riley’s came from the Philadelphia Eagles while the Jacksonville Jaguars extended one to Slomka.

The trio are the first to receive offers under the NFL undrafted free agent program since the secretary of defense endorsed a policy in November making it possible for exceptionally talented athletes who have graduated from a military service academy to pursue employment as professional sports athletes following graduation.

Once approved, they will be permitted to delay their commissioning and subsequent service obligation to pursue employment as professional sports athletes.

“We are extremely proud of Cole, Elijah and Connor,” Mike Buddie, Army West Point Director of Athletics, said. “They have all earned this opportunity through their hard

Christiansen, Riley, Slomka receive offers in NFL undrafted free agencywork and determination while representing the Corps of Cadets on the gridiron. After spending 47 months training to serve our country, I am thrilled for them to have this opportunity to continue their playing careers, and am convinced this will only make them better officers when that time comes.”

A two-year team captain, Christiansen finished his Army career with 35 starts on the defensive side of the ball. The Suffolk, Virginia, native garnered All-Independent First Team accolades over the last two seasons and was an NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Participant in 2019. Christiansen was also a Lott IMPACT Trophy Semifinalist.

The linebacker paced the team with 112 tackles his senior year including 63 solo stops. He tallied 3.5 tackles for a loss of yards, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a recovery. Christiansen performed with high intensity in every contest, but especially this past season against Air Force when he posted a career-high 16 tackles.

A 2019 team captain and four-year letterwinner, Riley was one of the Black Knights’ most versatile players on defense for the past two seasons. Riley was an East-West

Shrine Bowl participant and a Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalist his senior season. The Port Jefferson, New York, native earned Phil Steele All-Independent First Team honors, while being named to the Bednarik Award and Nagurski Award watch lists. He led the team with tackles for a loss this season and in sacks with four. Riley always performed his best on the biggest stages for Army. The boundary corner posted a career-high nine tackles when the Black Knights took No. 5 Oklahoma to overtime in 2018 and notched a sack and fumble recovery against No. 7 Michigan this past season.

Stepping in to the primary role in the fullback rotation in 2019, Slomka was second on the team with eight touchdowns through 12 games. He led the Black Knights in carries (149) and averaged 4.4 yards per attempt in the triple option offense. The Wexford, Pennsylvania, native helped Army up the field game after game averaging 54.83 yards each contest. Slomka boasted a career-high three touchdowns against VMI this past season. He scored at least one touchdown in six games during his senior year.

“I want every player I coach to be able

to play his very best, to play at a really high level and if that means being able to play beyond college I think it’s fantastic,” said Jeff Monken, Army West Point football head coach. “I hope as much for them as they do for themselves but …regardless of what happens for them in sports they’ve got an unbelievable career ahead of them to be able to serve as an Army officer and put the leadership skills they developed here into practice.”

The graduates of each of the military service academies are obligated to serve in the armed forces for a minimum five years as commissioned officers immediately following graduation. The provision signed into policy in November allows the secretary to offer select athletes the opportunity to serve as officers in the individual ready reserve of the armed forces while employed as professional athletes until such a time as the secretary tenders their appointment as commissioned officers in a military service.

The mission of the Army West Point Athletic Association is to provide an extraordinary Division I athletic experience that develops leaders of character committed to the values of duty, honor and country.

Army West Point football players Cole Christiansen (left), Elijah Riley (top right) and Connor Slomka each received offers as undrafted free agents from National Football League teams on Saturday night. Christiansen received an offer from the Los Angeles Chargers, Riley’s came from the Philadelphia Eagles while the Jacksonville Jaguars extended one to Slomka. Photos by Danny Wild/USA Today

14 aPril 30, 2020 Pointer View

Sports calendarSports calendarNO GAMES SCHEDULED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

Men's Lacrosse senior Bennett Taylor (#43). Photo by Army Athletic Communications

WEST POINT, TO THEEBy Senior Bennett Taylor Men’s Lacrosse

The Lingering FlameI told them about a fi re, about the simple combination of fuel

with a spark. With numb feet and a slight quiver in my voice, I predicted the fi ercest blaze would smolder over that frozen fi eld on Michie Stadium in February.

Odds are I wasn’t supposed to give my senior speech to my teammates that day. Growing up in Tampa, local lacrosse players just did not play college lacrosse on the scale of those from Fort Lauderdale or Jacksonville, not even mentioning traditional hotbeds in Baltimore and Long Island.

But with a chance sighting and tremendous support from coaches and family all along the way, I found myself speaking to 60 of the greatest men I know on that brisk dark Friday night. But it mattered not where we had come from—all that mattered was what we had cultivated since our fi rst days at the academy, and the family that we had created with those in the locker room.

I would contend that the senior speech, in conjunction with carrying the American fl ag out on a gameday, marks the major milestone in the lifespan of an Army lacrosse player --a fulfi llment of sorts.

It means you’ve made it through four rounds of fall ball, notorious for the heat and the hyper competition that our practices and lifts foster. It means you have evolved from a wide-eyed freshmen attempting to survive in practice (especially in my case) to a leader of those beneath you. Most importantly it means that you and your classmates only have a few months of competition left with each other and the Army Lacrosse Family.

Little did any of us know this precious time together would come to a grinding halt far ahead of schedule. We didn’t know that some of us would not give our speech or carry the fl ag. We didn’t anticipate that Thursday, March 12, 2020, would mark our last practice in an Army jersey. Our fi re, it seemed, had gone out. But the fl ame had only begun.

The flame I speak of begins with the fuel. It must be accumulated, struggled for, dutifully collected daily. For our team this consists of the daily contribution of everyone associated with the team.

If we practiced together, diligent attention to detail and focused eff ort on and off the fi eld built up the foundation of future success. For outside scheduled activity, the extra work put in by every member of the team built a culture that many speak of but few actualize.

Luckily for me I came to the program with some of the hardest working men I call my classmates and closest friends. All of these men carried themselves in a way that inspired those beneath them (and each other) to strive for higher goals for themselves and each other to collect their fuel daily. They all showed humility at every stage, whether as freshmen followers or senior leaders. They especially showed me how to care for one another in all aspects of our lives.

To you guys—Sean, Connor, Alex, Ryan, Ethan, Miles, Anthony, Luke, Matt, Peter and Tom—I cannot express the gratitude I have for you all.

But, as we all know, our hard work coincides with decades of Army Lacrosse classes who modeled this behavior. Every class of men that we shared a team with modeled that behavior and taught us new lessons, regardless if they were older or younger. This, to me, models the diff erence of the Army Lacrosse Family.

Hard work, extreme selflessness, compassion for one another—it is simply expected of the Army Lacrosse player. I consider myself extremely fortunate to experience this family for the last four years.

The fuel continues to grow, day after day by this unending cycle. The tradition of excellence that precedes you, the family that supports you at every step of the journey, and the hard work of each member of the program in the sport we love. The only thing remaining is the spark.

As I explained to the team that night, the spark proves more elusive, more personalized. Put simply, it brings out your very best. This spark takes a unique form to everyone.

To myself, I explained that my gameday face paint was my spark, as it was the same design my older brother donned during his playing days. He had taught me how to love and respect the

game as we played together growing up. The simple act of putting it on ignited me into a frenzy, transforming me when I hit the fi eld.

If everyone in that huddle could do the same, our blaze could not be tamed. On that gameday we quite literally smoked our opponent.

At the time I believed that spark unique to the sport I loved for so many years. I thought that after it was all over, I would not experience such a rush again without the game. But now, faced with an early exit from it, I realize that the spark, and the fi re that ensues, had grown out of the love that Army lacrosse embedded in me from the fi rst day.

While my class may never don our Army-Navy jerseys for our fi nal year or get the opportunity to compete for one last national championship, I know that the spark of the Army Lacrosse Family will remain within us the rest of our days.

For that I can only say thank you—to my teammates, my coaches, my Army Lacrosse Family—for the opportunity of a lifetime.

—Bennett Taylor, 43 (R)

15April 30, 2020Pointer View ClaSSifiedSClaSSifiedS

16 aPril 30, 2020

SPortSSPortSPointer ViewPointer View

aPril 30, 2020Vol. 77, no. 16dUtY, Honor, CoUntrY

WEST POINT, TO THEE

tHetHewww.GoarMYweStPoint.CoM

By Senior Cole Stacklin-JarvisMen’s Rugby

Beyond the PitchHello, my name is Cole Stacklin-Jarvis. I am

from a small town known as New Washington, Ohio, and I want to tell you about what Army rugby means to me.

There are very few words that can truly explain what the sport of rugby has done for me. In short, it has given me lifelong friends, a lifestyle of fi tness and a mentality of maturity and grit that is growing rare. But with this opportunity to show my appreciation, I want to dive a little deeper and elaborate on my personal journey through West Point as a member of the Army rugby team.

In 2015, I got a letter of acceptance to the United States Military Academy Preparatory School (USMAPS). For me, this was a dream come true. I had worked for over a year to get into West Point and that letter was my ticket. Shortly after receiving the letter, I found out that my mother was sick with cancer. My senior year of high school changed very fast. Leaving home was not easy by any means, but my Navy veteran mother of 23 years in the reserves would not let that slide. The transition from home to the Army was a testimonial time in my faith. I became closer to God than I had ever been, and I grew up pretty fast.

While at USMAPS I walked on to the football team where I got to enjoy one more season of my favorite childhood sport. Getting that opportunity was a dream come true as well, but I knew it would not last long after that one year. I battled in the classroom at USMAPS and during that year I lost one of my grandfathers.

In a trying year, being a part of that team was an anchor for me. I have been a student-athlete since the age of fi ve, it’s the only world I have ever known. Being a part of a team was something that was just so ingrained in me that I could not go without playing some sport.

So, in the fall of 2016 upon completion of Beast Barracks I made the decision to try out for the rugby team. The only experience with rugby I had up to that point was a couple runs down during mass athletics held during beast. My uncle and father played rugby when they were younger, but I was never really close with them growing up, so rugby was still so foreign to me.

I will never forget my brother from USMAPS football, Davonte Carter Vault, making the transition with me. We had heard about the history of the team, “the winningest team at West Point” and it caught our attention because it did not seem to diff er much from football and we felt like we could fi t in. So, we went for it. In a way we both pushed each other to make this team.

During our fi rst days of tryouts, I was just grateful for the opportunity to be there and learn

the game. Every tryout there is a scrimmage to assist in the coaches’ selection process. I was nervous because I had never played a second of rugby in competition before. In just one week, I learned some skills and technique.

One day in the mess hall I recognized the captain of the team, Luke Heun ‘17, a name I will always look up to, and sought out some advice. “Just be aggressive and get after it.” That was all he said, and all I needed to hear. After a dog fi ght for a spot, I was told I made the team and I could not believe it. I was relieved and incredibly grateful. Having the opportunity to connect with a new team and learn about this sport was a blessing.

Though it was fun to be playing the sport and being a part of such a unique team, my plebe year was a struggle for me. I ended my fi rst semester with a 1.68 GPA sitting at 1199 out of just over 1200 in class rank. I had one F and one D on my academic record already. I thought my time on the team was over.

I was terrifi ed that I may have lost the part of my cadet world that helped me escape from the academic challenges I faced daily. Some teachers and even my TAC Offi cer recommended that I stop playing. But fortunately for me, I did not have to stop playing. Having the experience of USMAPS under my belt I knew what resources I needed to take advantage of, so I did. I kept God close to my heart and worked harder.

After days’ worth of additional instruction and mentorship, the second semester started looking up for a while. Then life started to hit me again and I did not know what would happen next.

If I had not been able to fall back on my brothers on the rugby team, I would not have lasted at the academy. I lost six family members while at West Point. Just like when school got tough that fi rst semester, through those painful moments and saying goodbyes, rugby was an outlet for me. One specifi c memory that I will never forget was when I found out about my Aunt Traci passing away.

I woke up on a Saturday morning in State College, Pa., where our A side was preparing to play Penn State in the 2017 tournament. I was in a house full of my brothers and just before the game my sister called me to tell me the news. That news was overwhelming, but in that moment, my brothers were able to pick me up and help me along the way.

Fast forward into my fi rst semester cow year. I lost my grandmother who was very close to me. Again, while I was gone to be with my family for the memorial services, my teammates were always reaching out to keep my head up as best they could because they knew it meant something. Supporting each other off the pitch is, arguably, more important than anything you can do for a teammate in the middle of a match.

Since my plebe year, I have been a part of

our team’s voluntary bible study, now called the Brother’s Prayer Group (BPG). As I stayed in tune with my faith, as best I could, I considered this group an outlet too. We met once a week as often as possible to worship and pray for one another and the goals, challenges and blessings we have. This year, my fi rstie year, I had the opportunity to lead this group of men. It was both a humbling and developmental experience for me, spiritually, that I am forever grateful for.

In my short rugby career of just four years, I learned a valuable lesson. Rugby is much more than a game. Like many sports, it is a culture. A culture of toughness, tenacity, grit and ultimately respect. There are often fun moments when ruggers can celebrate with the opposing team after a match. There even more tough moments in training, competing physically for a top side jersey and preparing for the demands of the game. Then, there are the moments that have nothing to do with the game itself, where you fi nd yourself as part of the group that you make all of those memories with. You form bonds that can last a lifetime.

I once told our team that if we want to call each other brothers we must mean it. To use such a title for someone signifi es that there is more than a friendship. It shows that the respect, trust and encouragement you can seek and take from one another is limitless. It is what makes us family. Our brotherhood. Our legacy.

There are countless stories about brothers that have come before us that have been shared throughout the years and they all circle back to one main thing. The legacy. See, the legacy is something that we all live up to as best we can each and every day.

It is our job and duty to “leave the jersey in a better place than we found it.” Collectively,

our team tries to implement this role everywhere in our lives. On the pitch, in the classroom, in our cadet leadership positions and eventually as offi cers in the United States Army. When one person slips, we all do. Our coach once taught us that one mistake teaches 60 lessons and that could not be more correct. However, when one person succeeds, we all do too.

We represent more than ourselves. It is our team, our academy, our families and every other person or thing that helped us get to the places we are today. That is why this year in particular has been so strange.

Before this journey began, I never would have thought that I would be in the position I am today. A pandemic fl ipped our world around. Our fi nal spring season has been cut short, and we are all adjusting remotely from home. I will probably never play another rugby match again. But still, I have climbed from my 1.68 to a 2.43 GPA now as a fi rstie and I will fi nish strong.

At 23 years old, I have a gorgeous fi ancé who has also been beside me for most of this journey. I will soon fi nish my education at West Point and embark on my new journey as an Infantry Offi cer and husband.

Though there have been some losses and down moments in my experience, there was never a single moment where I felt lost or unable to turn to someone on my team for support. And that is something that no season, or pandemic, can ever take away.

To my brothers, my family, and EVERYONE that has helped me get to where I am today, I want to thank you. Without your help, none of this would be possible for me.

Brothers on 3, —Cole “Choo-Choo” Stacklin-Jarvis

Men's rugby senior Cole Stacklin-Jarvis. Photo by Army Athletic Communications